Pipe wrench with ratchet-controlled movable jaw



y 1, 1953 G. D. MEAD 2,645,966

PIPE WRENCH WITH RATCHET-CONTROLLED MOVABLE JAW Filed Aug. 27, 1951 U mvzmron George .D. Mead 9 6 I llllfflrlllllllll vllrllllltl/ III/Ill I III/Ill]!!!IIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIII/III/IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIL ATTORNEYS Patented July 21, 1953 UNITED STATES- OFFICE PIPE WRENCH WITH na'rorm'r- CONTROLLED MOVABLE Aw George Dewey Mead, Crows Landing; Calif. Application August 27, 1951, Serial No. 243,793

.6 Claims. 1 Thisinvention relates to pipe wrenches, such wrenches including a fixed jaw and a movable jaw mounted for limited swinging or rocking movement relative to the fixed jaw as well as a direct adjusting movement toward or from the same.

The shank of the movable jaw is provided with a row of teeth engaged by a pawl block in such a manner that the shank may be moved freely in a, jaw-closing direction but will be held against movement in a jaw-opening direction; and a major object of this invention is to rockably mount this pawl block in the body of the wrench and control the movement of the block in such a manner that while the'block normally holds the jawshank against the frame or body-yoke;

said shank and block may be rocked with a minimum of friction. At the sametime, the block can be instantly pulled clear of the shank when it is desired to allow said shank to be moved lengthwise to open the jaws. I

Another object is to provide a wrench of this type in which the body, together with the handle, is a hollow punch-pressed member, the pawl block being completely enclosed and protected in said body, which is strong yet light.

A further object of the invention is to produce a practical wrench and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed. y

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as Will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of :the improved pipe wrench.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the same with the movable jaw in its normal yoke-engaging position.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the movable jaw rocked or swung, as when initially engaging a pipe or the like to be turned.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section on line 4-4 of Fi l.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the wrench comprises a hollow punch-pressed body I which includes a rearwardly projecting handle 2, the member I having spaced parallel sides 3 between which, at the forward end at the bottom, a short shank block 4 of the fixed jaw 5 is riveted, as at 6. The movable jaw l cooperates with the jaw 5 in facing relation thereto andis formed with a shank!) which'extends lengthwise of the wrench body overthe jaw 5 and shank '4and into the body beyond said shank 4, the back edge 9jof .the shank 8 normally flatly engaging the flat inner surface of alongitudinal open-ended top yoke I0 formed with and extending between the sides 3; the forward end E of said flat surface being flared, and being a short'dis'tance rearwardly of the rear edge of the shank block 4 for a purpose which will be'seen.

The edge of the block 4fis curved between its rear edge and the edge which faces theshank 8, as at l I said curving'portion being also preferably transversely curved, as at l2 (see Fig.5) This curved surface forms a rolling support or fulcrum for the inclined forward end face I 3 of a longitudinal pawl block M. This block is parallel to the shank 8a'nd has a row of ratchet teeth I 5 engaging cooperating teeth IE on the adjacent facing edge of said shank 8; said teeth being, of course, cut so as to prevent forward movement of the shank.

The pawl block is normally pressed. against shank 8 both in a forward longitudinal direction as wellas toward the yoke ID by means of a leaf spring I] bearing ,at its free end against the inclined rear end face 18 of the block substantially at right angles to said face; the inclination of the faces [.3 and I8 being opposed to each other. The springis preferably mounted in place at its fixed end by a hook IS on said end engaged in a notch 20 cut into the bottom face of the block 4 intermediate its ends.

By reason of the above construction and relationship of the parts, the pawl block I4 is constantly urged in an upward and forward direction by reason of the spring action and the inclined forward face l3 of the pawl block bearing against and sliding up the curved surface l2 of the shank block 4. The cooperating teeth of the jaw shank and pawl block are thus held inclose but yieldable engagement and at the same time said shank is held flatly against the yoke I0.

By reason of the fact that the forward end E of the fiat faced surface is rearwardly of the curved surface l2, said shank can be rocked about said end E as an axis while the pawl block itself rocks about said curved surface I 2 both with a minimum of friction.

In order to free the pawl block from the shank teeth to enable the shank to be advanced to open the jaws, said block is provided, intermediate its ends, with a cross pin 2| projecting through slots 22 in the sides 3 for finger manipulation.

Pressure on the cross pin in a direction away from the yoke pulls the pawl block clear of the shank 8 against the resistance of spring I1, allowing said shank to slide forwardly without restraint. Complete withdrawal of the shank 8 from the yoke is prevented by a retaining screw 23 in one side 3 of the body, which screw engages in a longitudinal closed-end groove 24 in the corresponding side of the shank.

The teeth l5 of the pawl block are of inverted form leaving notches l5a therebetween which receive the shank teeth, and as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the slope of the rear end I8 of the block is less than the slope of the rear side of the notches. This feature of construction enables spring I'! to function to move the pawlblock lengthwise and toward the jaw shank so that all the teeth are held in close contact, and at the same time swinging the jaw 1 to a closed position.

Also, as clearly shown, the forward side of each notch l5a is parallel to the forward end face [3 of the pawl block, so that said block will properly and freely seat itself regardless of wear, while being capable of instant manual withdrawal from the shank when necessary without an accompanying movement of the shank.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a wrench as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the wrench, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful and upon which Letters Patent is desired:

1. A pipe wrench comprising a hollow body formed with a handle and provided with a fixed jaw at its forward. end, a movable jaw cooperating with the fixed jaw, a shank projecting rearwardly from the movable jaw and slidable lengthwise through a yoke rigid with the body, a row of ratchet teeth along the edge of the shank opposite the yoke, a pawl block in the body having a row of teeth along one edge facing and normally engaging the shank teeth, an abutment in the body against which the forward end of the block rockably and slidably bears, and a spring in the body engaging and acting on the block and tending to yieldably force the same forwardly and also toward the shank so as to hold the block and shank teeth in engagement and maintaining the shank in contact with the back of the yoke; the abutment being convexly rounded, and the adjacent end of the block sloping rearwardly from the toothed face of the block.

2. A wrench as in claim 1, in which the forward end of the yoke is slightly to the rear of the point of engagement of the abutment with the block.

3. A wrench as in claim 1, in which the shank teeth are of V form and the pawl block has similarly shaped notches to receive the teeth; one side of the notches being parallel to the slope of said adjacent end of the block.

4. A wrench as in claim 1, in which the rear end of the block slopes forwardly from its toothed face; the spring bearing against such forwardly sloping face substantially at right angles thereto.

5. A wrench as in claim 4, in which the pawl teeth are of inverted V form, leaving notches therebetween to receive the shank teeth; the slope of the rear end of the block being less than the slope of the rear side of the notches.

6. A pipe wrench comprising a body formed with a handle and provided with a fixed jaw at its forward end, the body having a rigid yoke adjacent said jaw, a movable jaw cooperating with the fixed jaw, a shank projecting rearwardly from the movable jaw and slidable lengthwise through the yoke, a row of ratchet teeth along the edge of the shank opposite the yoke, a pawl block having a row of teeth along one edge facing and normally, engaging the shank teeth, an abutment rigid with the body against which the forward end of the block rockably and slidably bears, and spring means in the body acting on the block and tendingto yieldably force the same forwardly and also toward the shank so as to hold the block and shank teeth in engagement and maintaining the shank in contact with the back of the yoke; the abutment being convexly rounded, and the adjacent end of the block sloping rearwardly from the toothed face of the block.

GEORGE DEWEY MEAD.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 35,123 Winslow Apr. 29, 1862 452,907 Ohnstrand et al. May 26, 1891 573,999 Pierce Dec. 29, 1896 759,813 Hudson May 10, 1904 767,901 Lefler Aug. 14, 1904 2,319,647 Vautrot May 18, 1943 2,437,801 Andersen Mar. 16, 1948 

